2023 Gateway to Solar Agenda

Download the Gateway to Solar app for the most up-to-date agenda and speaker information. This web agenda is only updated weekly. Scroll to the bottom to see the list of speakers!

Instructions on how to access the conference app are sent upon registration. Use the app to customize your agenda, read the speakers' bios, connect with other attendees, reserve meeting rooms, and more.

Day 1 - October 9th

8:15 - 8:45 AM

Registration & Breakfast

9:00 - 9:10 AM

Welcome From MnSEIA's Board President & Land Acknowledgement

Presenter(s):

Griffin Dooling, President of the MnSEIA Board and CEO of Blue Horizon Energy

Tom Leblanc ("Strong Buffalo"), Dakota Tribal Leader

Location:

Passport I,II,III

Time:

October 9th, 9:00 - 9:10 AM

Sponsor(s)

9:10 - 9:30 AM

Welcome From MnSEIA's Executive Director

Presenter(s):

Logan O'Grady, MnSEIA

Abbi Morgan, MnSEIA

Location:

Passport I,II,III

Time:

October 9th, 9:10 - 9:30 AM

Sponsor(s)

9:30 - 10:00 AM

Networking Break

10:00 - 11:00 AM

Energizing Minnesota's Energy Storage Market

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Rao Konidena, Rakon Energy

Amy Heart, Sunrun

Andrew Grant, Convergent Energy

Zahra Hargens Iliff, Vessyll

Scott Burger, Form Energy

Location:

Passport I

Time:

October 9th, 10:00 - 11:00 AM

See the panel description in the conference app!

The Future of Minnesota Solar: A Multi-Agency Roundtable

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Frank Jossi, Midwest Energy News

Joe Sullivan, MN Public Utilities Commission

Lissa Pawlisch, MN Commerce

Louise Miltich, MN Department of Commerce

Catherine Neuschler, Environmental Quality Board

Location:

Passport II

Time:

October 9th, 10:00 - 11:00 AM

See the panel description in the conference app!

United States of Solar: The Nationwide View

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Amelia Cerling Hennes, Clean Energy Economy MN (CEEM)

Stephanie Zawistowski, SEIA

Jeff Cramer, Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA)

Scott Elias, Clean Capital

Location:

Passport III

Time:

October 9th, 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM

See the panel description in the conference app!

NABCEP Course: "Flat Roof Best Practices"

Presenter(s):

Unirac

Location:

Crosswinds

Time:

October 9th, 10:00 - 11:00 AM

Sponsor(s)

11:00 - 11:30 AM

Networking Break

11:30 - 12:30 PM

Rebooting Residential Solar

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Ingrid Bjorkland, Bjorklund Law

Sarah Whebbe, All Energy Solar

Scott Bechler, Ivy Energy

Kim Benjamin, MN Solar

Donna Pickard, TruNorth Solar

Location:

Passport I

Time:

October 9th, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

See the panel description in the conference app!

"Midwest Nice": Advancing Solar Policy in Mid-America

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Nick Hylla, MREA

Grace Michienzi, Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council

Michael Vickerman, RENEW Wisconsin

Genie Maybanks, Iowa Solar Energy Trade Association

Will Kenworthy, Vote Solar

Location:

Passport II

Time:

October 9th, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

See the panel description in the conference app!

Sponsor(s)

Hiring & Retaining a Diverse Solar Workforce

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Ralph Jacobson, Solar Bear

Whitney Terrill, MnSEIP

Bree Maddox, Blue Horizon Energy

Ling Becker, Ramsey County

Paul Vogel, EVS

Location:

Passport III

Time:

October 9th, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

See the panel description in the conference app!

NABCEP Course: "PV System Inspection and Installation Best Practices: Part 1"

Presenter(s):

MREA

Location:

Crosswinds

Time:

October 9th, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Sponsor(s)

12:30 - 2:00 PM

Lunch Keynote: "The Power of Native Solar"

Presenter(s):

Bob Blake, Native Sun

Time:

October 9th, 12:30 - 2:00 PM

Keynote description coming soon.

Sponsor(s)

New Energy Equity, MnSEIA Gateway to Solar sponsor

2:00 - 2:30 PM

Networking Break

2:30 - 3:00 PM - "Short Circuits": 30-Minute Deep Dive Sessions

Made in America: Domestic Manufacturing is Having its Moment

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Erica Forsman, US Solar

Martin Pochtaruk, Heliene

Erin Clark, Meyer Burger

Location:

Passport I

Time:

October 9th, 2:30 - 3:00 PM

See the Short Circuit description in the conference app!

Spotlight on Utilities: Xcel Energy and Minnesota Power's Path to Solar

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Dan Lipschultz, Lipschultz Consulting

Bria Shea, Xcel Energy

Jennifer Cady, MN Power/ALLETE

Location:

Passport II

Time:

October 9th, 2:30 - 3:00 PM

See the Short Circuit description in the conference app!

DWSMAs (Duh-wiz-mahs): Protecting Water Quality with Solar - A New Market Opportunity

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Anabel Stanford, EOR

Brian Ross, Great Plains Institute

Location:

Passport III

Time:

October 9th, 2:30 - 3:00 PM

See the Short Circuit description in the conference app!

NABCEP Course: "PV System Inspection and Installation Best Practices: Part 2"

Location:

Crosswinds

Time:

October 9th, 2:30 - 3:00 PM

Sponsor(s)

3:00 - 3:15 PM

Networking Break

3:15 - 3:45 PM - "Short Circuits": 30-Minute Deep Dive Sessions

IRA Tax Incentives + Adders

Presenter(s):

Michael Fincher, Deloitte

Norm Jones, Winthrop

Location:

Passport I

Time:

October 9th, 3:15 - 3:45 PM

See the Short Circuit description in the conference app!

Cooperating with Cooperatives: Connexus Energy and MiEnergy's Work to Build More Solar

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Melissa Birch, CERTs

Brian Burandt, Connexus Energy

Kent Whitcomb, MiEnergy

Location:

Passport II

Time:

October 9th, 3:15 -3:45 PM

See the Short Circuit description in the conference app!

Emerging Solar + Storage Tech Spotlight

Location:

Passport III

Time:

October 9th, 3:15 -3:45 PM

See the Short Circuit description in the conference app!

NABCEP Course: "PV System Inspection and Installation Best Practices: Part 2 Continued"

Presenter(s):

MREA

Location:

Crosswinds

Time:

October 9th, 3:15 - 3:45 PM

Sponsor(s)

3:45 - 4:15 PM

Networking Break

4:15 - 5:30

In the Room: Lawmakers Give the Inside Scoop from the Capitol

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Tim Montague, Clean Power Hour

Rep. Patty Acomb

Rep. Marion Rarick

Senator Nick Frentz

Senator Jason Rarick

Commissioner Grace Arnold

Location:

Passport I,II,III

Time:

October 9th, 4:15 - 5:30 PM

5:30 - 7:00 PM

Opening Reception

7:00 - 10:00 PM

Opening Night After Party - Sponsored by Greentech Renewables

InterContinental airport hotel Gateway to Solar

Location:

Altitude Bar, InterContinental Hotel

Time:

7:00 - 10:00 PM

Join us upstairs at the InterContinental's Altitude Bar for a night of drinks, heavy appetizers, and networking! Tickets for this after party are included in your Gateway to Solar ticket. Enjoy the sunset and beautiful views of the Twin Cities and watch the planes take off on the skyway. The Altitude Bar is on the 12th floor, penthouse-level of the conference's venue, the InterContinental MSP/St. Paul Airport Hotel. The Altitude room offers 180-degree panoramic views of both the Minneapolis and St. Paul skylines, the Minnesota River Valley, and the airport runway.

Sponsor(s)

Day 2 - October 10th

8:00 - 8:50 AM

Registration & Breakfast

9:00 - 10:00 AM

Critical Minerals: Minnesota's Role in Responsibly Sourcing Clean Tech Products

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Mike Hughlett, Star Tribune

Julie Lucas, MiningMinnesota

Kelly Applegate, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe

Spencer Igo, MN House of Representatives

Aaron Klemz, MN Center for Environmental Advocacy

Location:

Passport I,II,III

Time:

October 10th, 9:00 - 10:00 AM

See the keynote description in the conference app

10:00 - 10:30 AM

Networking Break

10:30 - 11:30 AM

Rumors From the Rotunda: Recap of the 2023 Legislative Session

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Megan Verdeja, United Strategies

Jenna Warmuth, Vote Solar

Aurora Vautrin, 100% Campaign

Kayla Christensen, Conservative Energy Forum

George Damien, Clean Energy Economy MN (CEEM)

Location:

Passport I

Time:

October 10th, 10:30 - 11:30 AM

See the panel description in the conference app!

The Next Era of DG & Community Solar

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Kevin Cray, Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA)

Morgan Pitz, US Solar

Richard Caperton, Arcadia

Julian White, Nokomis Energy

Pouya Najmaie, Cooperative Energy Futures

Location:

Passport II

Time:

October 10th, 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

See the panel description in the conference app!

C&I Solar's Role in Strengthening Our Grid

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Laura Malwitz, McKinstry

Alex Gast, Cedar Creek Energy

Additional speakers TBA

Location:

Passport III

Time:

October 10th, 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

See the panel description in the conference app!

NABCEP Course: "Energy Storage Fundamentals Part 1"

Presenter(s):

MREA

Location:

Crosswinds

Time:

October 10th, 10:30 - 11:30 AM

Sponsor(s)

11:30 - 12:00 PM

Networking Break

12:00 - 12:30 PM - "Short Circuits": 30-Minute Deep Dive Sessions

Paving the Road to Solar + EV's

Presenter(s):

Jukka Kukkonen, Shift2Electric

Rebecca Heisel, Great Plains Institute

Location:

Passport I

Time:

October 10th, 12:00 - 12:30 PM

See the Short Circuit description in the conference app!

Lessons Learned: Flint Hills Takes Behind-the-Meter Solar to the Next Level

Presenter(s):

Jeremy Bertsch, Flint Hills Refinery

Scott Spisak, Frattalone

Location:

Passport II

Time:

October 10th, 12:00 - 12:30 PM

See the Short Circuit description in the conference app!

Completing the Mobius Loop: The Life of a Solar Panel

Presenter(s):

Jesse Simons, SolarCycle

Maria Jensen, Repowered

Location:

Passport IIl

Time:

October 10th, 12:00 - 12:30 PM

See the Short Circuit description in the conference app!

NABCEP Course: "Energy Storage Fundamentals Part 2"

Presenter(s):

MREA

Location:

Crosswinds

Time:

October 10th, 12:00 - 12:30 PM

Sponsor(s)

12:30 - 1:45 PM

2023 Awards Luncheon

Time:

October 10th, 12:30 - 1:45 PM

Congratulations to our 2023 Gateway to Solar award winners!

McKinstry Sustainability Award - SouthWest Transit
MnSEIA Distinguished Policy Leadership Awards - Senator Julia Coleman and Rep. Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger
MnSEIA Agency Excellence Recognition Award - Minnesota Department of Commerce
MnSEIA Excellence in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award - EVS, Inc.
MnSEIA Excellence in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award - Bob Blake, Native Sun
MnSEIA Solar Advocacy Award - Kevin Cray, Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA)
MnSEIA Member of the Year Award - Greentech Renewables
Ralph Jacobson Lifetime Achievement Award, "The Ralphie" - Speaker of the Minnesota House, Rep. Melissa Hortman

Thanks to Heliene for donating the solar cell awards!

Sponsor(s)

Larkin Hoffman Attorneys, Gateway to Solar sponsor

1:45 - 2:00 PM

Networking Break

2:00 - 3:00 PM

Farming More Than Electrons: Bringing Agrivoltaics to Minnesota

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Harry Benson, Standard Solar

Joel Tatum, American Farmland Trust

Arlo Hark, Cannon Valley Graziers

Colleen Hollinger, Natural Resource Services

Jake Janski, MNL

Location:

Passport I

Time:

October 10th, 2:00 - 3:00 PM

See the panel description in the conference app!

Bottlenecks & Barriers: How Do We Fix Interconnection in Minnesota?

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Sara Bergan, Husch Blackwell

Griffin Dooling, Blue Horizon Energy

Danielle DeMarre, All Energy Solar

Kevin Corcoran, New Energy Equity

Isabel Ricker, Fresh Energy

Location:

Passport II

Time:

October 10th, 2:00 - 3:00 PM

See the panel description in the conference app!

Modernizing the Regulatory Environment for Minnesota's Clean Grid

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Curtis Zaun, MnSEIA

Chris Villareal, Plugged In Strategies

Ross Abbey, US Solar

Betsy Engleking, National Grid Renewables

Representative from ILSR

Location:

Passport III

Time:

October 10th, 2:00 - 3:00 PM

See the panel description in the conference app!

NABCEP Course: "Off-Grid System Sizing: Part 1"

Presenter(s):

MREA

Location:

Crosswinds Room

Time:

October 10th, 2:00 - 3:00 PM

Sponsor(s)

3:00 - 3:15 PM

Networking Break

3:15 - 3:45 PM - "Short Circuits": 30-Minute Deep Dive Sessions

Case Study: The University of St. Thomas's Microgrid Research Center

Presenter(s):

Mahmoud Kabalan, Center for Microgrid Research at the University of St. Thomas

Location:

Passport I

Time:

October 10th, 3:15 - 3:45 PM

See the Short Circuit description in the conference app!

Lift As We Climb: Solar as a Tool To Empower Communities

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Diana McKeown, Great Plains Institute

Dr. Kathryn Milun, Solar Commons Project

Matt Kazinka, Lake Street Council

Location:

Passport II

Time:

October 10th, 3:15 - 3:45 PM

See the Short Circuit description in the conference app!

Identifying and Resolving Thorny Land Use Issues

Presenter(s):

Moderator: Chris Kunkle, Apex Clean Energy

David Streier, Fredrikson

Madelyn Smerillo, Clean Grid Alliance

Location:

Passport III

Time:

October 10th, 3:15 - 3:45 PM

See the Short Circuit description in the conference app!

NABCEP Course: "Off-Grid System Sizing: Part 2"

Presenter(s):

MREA

Location:

Crosswinds

Time:

October 10th, 3:15 - 3:45 PM

Sponsor(s)

3:45 - 4:00 PM

Networking Break

4:00 - 4:30 PM

The Minnesota Model: How MN is Leading the Nation in Clean Energy Policy

Presenter(s):

Minnesota Speaker of the House, Representative Melissa Hortman

Time:

October 10th, 4:00 - 4:30 PM

Keynote description coming soon.

4:30 - 6:00 PM

Closing Reception

Location:

La Voya Brasserie, 1st floor of the InterContinental Hotel

Time:

4:30 - 6:00 PM

Close out the 10th annual conference with a fun closing reception! A taco bar, charcuterie station, and drinks will be available for all conference attendees.